Friday, February 21, 2020

Mysterious Aerodynamic Lift

"No One Can Explain Why Planes Stay in the Air":
[T]here is actually no agreement on what generates the aerodynamic force known as lift. “There is no simple one-liner answer to this,” [aerodynamics expert John D. Anderson] told the Times. People give different answers to the question, some with “religious fervor.” More than 15 years after that pronouncement, there are still different accounts of what generates lift, each with its own substantial rank of zealous defenders. At this point in the history of flight, this situation is slightly puzzling.
Click through to see lots of diagrams and theories!